I am your typical housewife living in high maintenance suburbia. I have a handsome husband, 2 kids and a flock of pet chickens. I try and feed my family with $100 a month. With the help of coupons, gardening and bartering I am able to squeeze the most out of our grocery budget and still manage to have a little fun along the way.

December Monthly Savings Guide – What’s on Sale and What’s in Season

Being frugal doesn’t mean that you have to hole yourself up in a bunker somewhere and cut the outside world off, using only sticks and mud to meet your basic needs. It really is about getting your money to stretch as far as possible. I mean, when it really comes down to it, your money is a representation of your time–time you might have rather spent with your kids, or traveling, or {insert favorite past time here}, so just giving it away is like not respecting your own time.

Shopping smart is one way to get the almighty dollar to stretch far enough to help you live within your means…hopefully with a little extra jingle in your pocket. Timing your purchases around yearly sales is one of the ways I try to shop smart. Sometimes, that means going without until the price is the best, other times, it means stocking up early, so when I do need it, I paid a reasonable price. Either way, shelling out extra cash in an impulsive moment for something you can get at a fraction of the cost is just crazy talk.

Knowing what’s on sale, what’s in season, and what you should be able to find on clearance each month really helps you plan. How do you know? That’s why you have me…

December is pretty much all about the holidays. There are usually deals on electronics {computers, iPods, and televisions}. There are also seasonal gift sets that usually only come around this time of year–candle sets, lotions, bath supplies, etc. Other little “stocking stuffer” type items usually appear for a short time too.

Clearance Items to Be On the Lookout For in December

Late December is a great time for clearance items. Stores will be looking to get rid everything leftover from the holidays. You can score on Thanksgiving and Christmas related items–like decor, candy, wrapping paper, cards, etc. It’s also a great time to get clearanced toys.